Equipped cabinet bench, for laboratories, provided with cantilevered service-holder channel, fixable in different positions

ABSTRACT

It is hereby described an equipped cabinet bench, for laboratories, of the kind comprising a structure to which one worktop and one or more service-holders channels are fitted, on each of which a series of connections for supplying electric current, liquid and fluids and whatever else may be necessary are fitted, wherein the said uprights have two parallel rows of holes, equidistant one from the others, and that the said channel has, at the sides, supporting plates provided with holes for fixing the channel to the said upright by means of bolts or the like which fit into the holes of one of the said rows of the uprights and in the holes of the said plate, in such a way as to allow to mount the said channel, depending on which row of the holes on the upright is used, whether cantilevered or in a position in which it remains included inside the overall dimensions of the uprights and/or the worktop.

This invention proposes an equipped cabinet bench, of the kind used inchemical laboratories or the like, having one or more service-holderchannels provided with cantilevered support, the cabinet bench beingarranged in such a way as to permit to fix the said channels indifferent positions, in particular to position each channel at thedesired height and to place it in such a way that, in plan view, itsoverall dimensions are contained inside the worktop or appearscantilevered-fitted, projecting out of the latter.

More particularly, the bench has a structure which comprises a couple ofside uprights, which both the worktop, and the service-holder channelsare fitted to, each upright having a box-like structure which providesfor two parallel rows of equidistant holes provided for fixing thedifferent components, and in which each channel is closed, at the topends, by cantilevered supporting plates projecting for a certain portioncompared with the channel, and which have, in close proximity to theedge, a couple of holes, whose distance corresponds to the distancebetween two or more holes of each row on the uprights.

The channel is fixed to the uprights by the said plates and, dependingon the row of holes which these plates are fixed to, the channel will becantilevered-positioned or included inside the overall dimensions of theworktop.

Different structures of worktops are known, used, for example, inlaboratories and the like, each equipped with all the services requiredto use different instruments.

Such worktops often include a structure provided with a worktop and astorage wall equipped with channeling and paths for water and gas pipes,mains cables and whatever else may be necessary.

The sockets, the switches and the devices for distributing fluids, suchas taps or the like, are fitted to the wall or, however, to proper fixedstructures.

The said known solutions, which have been used for a long time, have anumber of limitations mainly due to the poor flexibility of the whole,which, once it has been mounted, cannot be easily modified and whichwould require quite expensive interventions, also in case ofmodifications before the assembling.

Such circumstance requires an advance planning of the future position ofthe different connections and, in order to avoid any excessive increasein costs, the production is often standardized, with consequentdifficulties and costs in case of need to customize the products or tocreate out-of-standard worktops, for example in case of need to fit thesockets or the plugs at a height which is more comfortable for theoperator or to adjust the position, for example, of the sockets and theplugs to the layout of the different devices, which can be positioned onthe worktop.

The present invention seeks to overcome these drawbacks, by proposing anequipped worktop, for laboratories, in which the different connectionsare placed on a support consisting of a channel having, on its sides,cantilevered supports made in such a way as to permit to fit the channelboth in a position in which it remains included inside the overalldimensions of the worktop, thus remaining easily and comfortablyaccessible for the operator, and cantilevered compared with suchworktop, for example to permit to position on the worktop equipmenthaving considerable overall dimensions.

The same channel may be then fixed to the bench structure at differentheights, in order to place it in the position which is more suitable foruse.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the bench according to theinvention, assembled and as exploded view, respectively;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show the bench according to the invention, seen fromaside, front and top;

FIG. 6 shows, as exploded view, the sections used to create the channelin a bench according to the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a cutaway of the sections which form the channel to befitted to a bench according to the invention;

FIG. 8 shows the detail of the end of the channel, which the connectionshave not yet fitted to, ready to be fixed to the upright of the bench;

FIG. 9 shows the prospective view of the channel fitted on the benchstructure.

With reference to FIG. 1, the bench according to the invention comprisesa supporting structure indicated as a whole with 1, fitted on wheels 2,a worktop indicated with 3 and a support 4 of a series of connectionsfor supplying fluids such as gas or water, sockets, etc.

More particularly (see FIG. 2), the support 4 consists of a channel or abox-like structure closed on the ends by plates 5 allowing them to befitted to the bench structure and having, in front, one or more housings6 for inserting the supporting boards of the aforesaid connections.

The structure 1 comprises a base 7, a couple of side uprights 8 and atop cross-beam 9.

Both the worktop 3, which has side walls 10 fitted to the uprights 8,and the support or channel 4 are fixed to the uprights 8.

The channel is better visible in detail in FIGS. 6-8, the latter alsoshowing a detail of the uprights.

The said uprights are made in such a way as to have, at least on theedges, a box-like structure 11. On the wall of each box-like structurebent towards the inside of the bench, two parallel rows of holes 12 areprovided, equidistant, for fixing the different elements which form thebench.

The channel or support 4 (see FIG. 6) consists of a couple of symmetricsections 13, one higher and one lower, which are closed on the bottom bya wall 14 applied, for example, by means of screws and plugs, which areinserted inside the holes 15 in the section.

The two sections, coupled by the wall 14, create an open channel inproximity of the front side 16, bent towards the inside of the bench.

The sections are linked, always by means of screws, rivets and the like,to a couple of angles 17, which, subsequently, boards 18 will be fixedto, on which boards a series of connections 19 are fitted, for thesupply of gas, air, electric current and so on and which are inserted,making them slide, within grooves 25 running in proximity of the edge ofthe sections.

A series of closing caps 20, which can be inserted, for example, bysnap, are used to close the spaces between the boards 18 (FIG. 9).

The channel 4 (see FIG. 8) is closed at the ends by plates 21 projectingfor a portion from the front side of the channel and which have, inproximity of the front edge, two or more holes 22, whose distance isequal to a multiple of the distance between the holes 12 on the upright.

This way, when the structure is assembled, it is possible to match theholes 22 with any couple of the holes of each row in the uprights.

This solution, which provides for the supporting plates of thecantilevered channel and the double row of holes on the upright, allowsto mount the channel, beside at the desired height, also in twodifferent position on the horizontal position.

Depending on whether the plates 21 are fixed to the holes of one or theother row on the upright, the channel 4, once the assembling iscompleted, will be positioned in an internal position, for examplecompletely included inside the overall dimensions, from a plan view, ofthe worktop, or may be cantilevered-mounted, thus projecting to theoutside of bench, thus permitting to place on the bench bulkyinstruments, while keeping an easy access to the connections on thechannel 4.

The said channel, thanks to the particular embodiment shown, has abox-like structure, which turns out to be really convenient, as it ispossible to pass through it all the ducts and the cables to thedifferent connections, thus obtaining the twofold advantage of aconsiderable improvement of aesthetics and a reduction of the riskswhich may derive from the presence of non-protected cables and ducts,which may be accidentally bumped and damaged.

The bench according to the invention is therefore considerablyfunctional, in view of the fact that it can be easily arranged in such away as to adjust it to specific situations, by positioning the differentconnections in the more convenient position for the user, also dependingon the instruments which will be positioned on the worktop.

Within the framework of the same idea of solution; a skilled in the artmay provide for different embodiments, which must be all consideredincluded within the scope of this invention.

So, for example, the length of the worktop, of the cross beam 9 and ofthe channel 4 may vary depending on the requirements of use, as well ason the materials used.

The rear closing wall 14 of the channel may be hinged to one of thesections, in such a way that it can be easily opened for inspections andchanges, if any.

1. Equipped cabinet bench, for laboratories, of the kind including astructure to which a worktop and one or more service-holders channelsare fitted, on each of which a series of connections for supplyingelectric current, liquids, fluids and whatever else may be necessary arefitted, characterised in that the said uprights have two parallel rowsof holes, equidistant one from the others, and that the said channelhas, at the sides, cantilevered supporting plates provided with holesfor fixing the channel to the said upright by bolts or the like, whichfit into the holes of one of the said rows of the uprights and in theholes of the plate, in such a way as to allow to mount the said channel,depending on which row of holes on the upright is used, whethercantilevered or in a position in which it remains included inside theoverall dimensions of the uprights and/or the worktop.
 2. Equippedcabinet bench according to claim 1, characterised in that thecantilevered portion of the supporting plates of the channel and thedistance between the two rows of the holes in the uprights have such adimension as to allow to fit the channel inside the overall dimensionsof the worktop or cantilevered with respect to it, projecting in therear portion compared with the bench.
 3. Equipped cabinet benchaccording to claim 1, characterised in that the said channels have astructure consisting of a couple of sections fixed to the said plates,with a rear closing wall, while the side bent towards the bench isprovided with slides for inserting the boards or plates, which thedifferent connections are fitted to, in such a way as to obtain abox-like support, through which the pipes and the cables to the saidconnections can run.
 4. Equipped cabinet bench according to claim 1,characterised in that the said closing rear wall of the said channel ishinged to the channel structure, in such a way that it can be opened forinspections and/or interventions.